Minding the social gap

The university’s new Pakistani Student Society (PSS – NL) is off to a good start. With some eighty members already, the society’s founding members, Sana Amir (PhD concrete structures), Usama Malik (BSc aero-space engineering) and Faisal Nadeem (PhD computer engineering), discuss the society’s present and future aims. 

What inspired you to set up the PSS-NL?

Malik: “We wanted to bring Pakistanis together under one forum, to guide new Pakistanis coming to TU Delft or Netherlands for studies, and to promote our culture and arrange activities for Pakistanis and other TU students.”

Is there a problem of understanding between Pakistani student community and other international students?

Malik: “Sometimes we face critical questions from fellow students about Pakistan’s culture and Pakistan itself. By having a Pakistani student society, we have a platform to tell students and other people about our culture and clear any misunderstandings about us.”



Does this relate to the ‘need to bridge the social gap’ mentioned in PSS–NL’s first press release?

Amir: “Actually, the social gap we’re talking about is more among the Pakistani students themselves than among Pakistani and other international students. Because we never had a common platform, some of us didn’t even know each other before we made this society.”

And PSS-NL also has national ambitions?

Amir: “When we started this organization, we thought to limit it TU Delft only, but then decided to include Pakistani students from other universities as well. So our organization is for everyone studying in NL.”

Will you also reach out to high school and university students currently studying in Pakistan who might be interested in continuing their studies at TU Delft?

Malik: “Within a short time of starting our organisation, we received emails from Pakistani students asking for information about admission to TU Delft. Some were from Pakistan and others from other European universities. In our limited capacity, we’re making plans to encourage students from Pakistan to come study at TU Delft. For example, our members who go home to Pakistan in summer should voluntarily visit one or two high schools in their region if possible to tell them about TU Delft.”

What are some coming PSS-NL events?

Amir: “We’re planning a ‘Pakistani Cultural Night’ on February 17, and after that to also host a ‘Fast opening/Iftar’ dinner during Ramadan.”

Are your planned events open to all international students?

“Yes, they’re open to all international students and we invite them via the Sports and Culture Centre websites, Facebook, email and posters and flyers distributed in various faculties.”

Has the TU been supportive in helping you start PSS-NL?

Amir: “Very supportive. When we decided to make PSS-NL official at TU Delft, we contacted the International Office and Germaine Poot replied positively, guiding us through the whole process of setting up our society.”

Where does PSS-NL get its funding?

Malik: “TU Delft is funding our 17 February event. Other than that, if we have a small event we all contribute.”

Your press release also stated that PSS-NL is a ‘non-political organisation’. But given that Pakistan is quite turbulent and unstable politically, won’t it be difficult to keep politics out of the socialising?

Malik: “Yes, you’re right, it would be difficult to do that, but we’ve made it clear to every member of our society to not use this as political forum. Up till now we’ve succeeded. We intend to use this organization for socializing and entertainment rather than politics.”  

Volgens SACU wordt het onderwijs daardoor slechter, duurder en minder toegankelijk. Met de actie willen de studenten aangeven dat ze niet zullen rusten tot alle bezuinigingen op onderwijs zijn ingetrokken. Onderwijs is een recht en geen privilege, stelt de actiegroep die eind november is opgericht ‘om verzet te plegen tegen de bezuinigingsplannen van kabinet Rutte’.

Vervolg
De actie van morgen is een vervolg op de studentenmanifestatie van 21 januari en de reactie van het kabinet daarop. Het SACU is boos dat het kabinet zijn plannen niet gjeeft gewijzigd nadat 15.000 studenten op die vrijdag het Malieveld vulden.”De manifestatie in Den Haag op 21 januari heeft niet opgeleverd waar we op gehoopt hadden, maar heeft wel laten zien dat er veel studenten boos zijn over de bezuinigingen. Het is van groot belang dat we nu doorzetten om de plannen tegen te houden.”

Meer geld
De studenten vinden dat er in plaats van bezuinigen juist meer geld naar onderwijs moet gaan omdat onderzoek keer op keer uitwijst dat een investering in onderwijs zichzelf terugverdient.

Dubbelspel
De studenten verdenken het college van bestuur van de Universiteit Utrecht ervan niet onvoorwaardelijk op te komen voor de studenten. “Zeker nu bekend is geworden dat collegevoorzitters van verschillende onderwijsinstellingen actief hebben gelobbyd om studenten de volledige boete van 6000 euro bij studievertraging te laten betalen en de instellingen hiervan te vrijwaarden”, stellen ze in een persbericht. Het cvb van Utrecht zou dubbelspel spelen door ‘achter de rug van studenten dergelijke streken uit te halen’.